Tiles have conventionally been used for roofing. The recent trend, however, uses metal roof plates in place of the tiles. The roof plates made of metal have excellent durability.
The rainfall measure is required at the ridge of the roof when the roof plates are laid on both sides of the ridge with a pitch of roof to shingle the roof. In the case of tile roofing, for the rainfall measure, ridge tiles, such as plain tiles, specific tiles, and ornamental tiles, are bound to the foundation with linear elements and fixed with lime plaster. In the case of roofing with metal plates, on the other hand, the roof plates on both roof planes are covered with a ridge capping, which is curved along the pitch of the roof, across the roof width.
For coverage with the ridge capping, copings are laid over the roof plates on both roof planes across the roof width and are fixed to roof frame members (for example, sheathing roof boards and roof rafters) with screws and nails. The screws and nails penetrate the roof plates under the copings to reach the foundation. The ridge capping is then fixed to the copings with screws and nails.
The prior art ridge capping requires a large number of nails and screws for fixation, which is time and labor consuming. In the case of detachment of the existing ridge capping and roof plates for recycle, all the hammered screws and nails should be removed. This is also troublesome. The nails form through holes in the roof plate, which causes the following problem.
If rainwater enters the gap between the ridge capping and the roof plate, the penetrating water may cause rust around the through hole and damage the roof plate. For the effective rainfall measure, the ridge capping should be processed in the field of roofing according to the roof plates laid on the roof. Such processing is rather time and labor consuming.
For the improved residential environment, ventilation of the air inside the building and under the roof has highly been demanded. The ridge at the peak of the roof is adequate for ventilation of the air. The ridge capping is, however, not usable for ventilation of the air, because of the rainfall measure. The popular means for ventilation is accordingly a ventilation fan attached to the wall of the building.
The roof plate made of a metal of excellent durability has a drain board below the joint with an adjoining roof plate. The drain board functions to prevent penetration of rainwater from the joint. The structure of keeping the roof frame member (the sheathing roof board or the roof rafter) from rainwater, in combination with the excellent durability of the roof plate, effectively protects the roof.
The prior art roof plates, however, have several problems to be solved, and can not sufficiently replace the tiles.
The first problem arises in the firm and close joint of the adjoining roof plates to prevent penetration of rainwater. Even the extremely firm and close joint, however, can not perfectly prevent invasion of water, which is a fluid of large surface tension. There is accordingly a certain limit in the effect of keeping the roof frame member (the sheathing roof board or the roof rafter) from rainwater.
The second problem is metal-pattering sound of raindrops, when a metal of excellent durability is applied for the material of the roof plate. The pattering sound is transmitted through the roof frame member (the sheathing roof board or the roof rafter) that is directly in contact with the roof plate and affects an attic or a loft.
The third problems is a significant temperature change of the metal roof plate with the varying environment, since the metal roof plates have extremely low specific heat, compared with the ceramic tiles. The temperature change is transmitted through the wooden roof frame member (the sheathing roof board or the roof rafter). The transmitted temperature change, in combination with the penetrating rainwater, undesirably shortens the serviceable life of the roof. Application and release of heat over the whole roof plane shingled with the roof plates makes the inside of the building hot in summer and cold in winter.
Other drawbacks are also noted.
The roofing with tiles only requires the tiles to be mounted on batten seams fixed to the sheathing roof boards. The roofing with roof plates, on the other hand, requires clips of a specific shape and bending of the roof plates according to the specific shape of the clips. Otherwise the roof plates should be fixed to the roof frame members (the sheathing roof boards or the roof rafters) with screws and nails for roofing.
In the former structure, the clips should be fixed for joint with the bended portion of the roof plates and a relatively large number of clips are required. This makes the roofing procedure rather time and labor consuming. In the case of detachment of the roof plates, the joint with the clips should be released. The roof plate itself, however, hides its joint. The procedure of releasing the joint and detaching the roof plates is also time and labor consuming. In the latter structure, on the other hand, the screws and nails should be hammered down to fix the roof plate to the roof rafter. This work also takes time and labor. In the case of detachment of the roof plates, all the hammered nails and screws should be removed. This work is troublesome.
The object of the present invention is thus to solve the problems discussed above and to provide a structure that simplifies a roofing procedure at the ridge of a roof, ensures easy detachment and relocation, and enables ventilation of the air via the ridge.
The object of the present invention is also to provide a roof plate that has excellent durability, effectively prevents penetration of rainwater, and exerts heat insulating and sound isolating effects.
The object of the present invention is further to provide a roof plate that ensures a simplified roofing procedure and easy detachment and relocation.